American pensioner faces 10 years in Thai jail after 'selling banned bodybuilding steroids'
- 4 years ago
An American pensioner is facing up to ten years in a Thai jail after allegedly selling banned steroids.
Jerry Robert Nielsen, 66, was arrested yesterday (26/12) afternoon following a sting operation in Pattaya, Thailand, where he led a lavish lifestyle with football shirts, gold watches and several vehicles.
Undercover officers had ordered 10 boxes of muscle growth hormone which Nielsen allegedly supplied for 75,000 THB (2,500 USD).
Cops seized the drugs - used by bodybuilders to bulk up unnaturally - from Nielsen's fridge and remanded the American in custody.
He was allegedly part of of a steroids gang that shipped the drugs into Southeast Asia from Hong Kong.
Another America member of the group, Joshua Paul Phet, 44, was arrested in February this year in Chiang Mai province and sentenced to ten years in prison and a 400,000 (132,500USD) baht fine.
Cops who were part of the raid said that Nielsen had branched out on his own following the arrest of his countryman, which ultimately led to his downfall.
Police Colonel Dulyaphat Techapornyasin said: ''Joshua Paul Phet was arrested earlier this year, so Jerry had to order the goods himself from Hong Kong which he falsely declared on customs forms. This caused suspicion and we traced him from there.''
Officers arrested Nielsen at the La Baguette French Bakery restaurant then raided his home where they seized bank books and several vehicles.
They claim that he laundered the proceeds of the steroid sales through a motorcycle rental business - which had an unusually large turnover of 500,000 (16,600USD) a month.
The profits allowed the pensioner to live like a king in the seedy prostitution-ridden coastal city - where the minimum wage is around 320 baht (10.50USD) day.
Cops claimed the imported muscle growth product, named ANSOMONE, was ''fake'' and banned in the country.
Police Colonel Dulyaphat added: "The American was selling the fake growth hormone to bodybuilders in the town and deceived them into believing that it would help the muscle growth.
"We believe he spent the profit from selling the drugs to buy vehicles and run a rental business to launder his money.
"He will be charged for selling unapproved drugs while we forensically search through his properties and bank account looking for illegal transactions."
Jerry Robert Nielsen, 66, was arrested yesterday (26/12) afternoon following a sting operation in Pattaya, Thailand, where he led a lavish lifestyle with football shirts, gold watches and several vehicles.
Undercover officers had ordered 10 boxes of muscle growth hormone which Nielsen allegedly supplied for 75,000 THB (2,500 USD).
Cops seized the drugs - used by bodybuilders to bulk up unnaturally - from Nielsen's fridge and remanded the American in custody.
He was allegedly part of of a steroids gang that shipped the drugs into Southeast Asia from Hong Kong.
Another America member of the group, Joshua Paul Phet, 44, was arrested in February this year in Chiang Mai province and sentenced to ten years in prison and a 400,000 (132,500USD) baht fine.
Cops who were part of the raid said that Nielsen had branched out on his own following the arrest of his countryman, which ultimately led to his downfall.
Police Colonel Dulyaphat Techapornyasin said: ''Joshua Paul Phet was arrested earlier this year, so Jerry had to order the goods himself from Hong Kong which he falsely declared on customs forms. This caused suspicion and we traced him from there.''
Officers arrested Nielsen at the La Baguette French Bakery restaurant then raided his home where they seized bank books and several vehicles.
They claim that he laundered the proceeds of the steroid sales through a motorcycle rental business - which had an unusually large turnover of 500,000 (16,600USD) a month.
The profits allowed the pensioner to live like a king in the seedy prostitution-ridden coastal city - where the minimum wage is around 320 baht (10.50USD) day.
Cops claimed the imported muscle growth product, named ANSOMONE, was ''fake'' and banned in the country.
Police Colonel Dulyaphat added: "The American was selling the fake growth hormone to bodybuilders in the town and deceived them into believing that it would help the muscle growth.
"We believe he spent the profit from selling the drugs to buy vehicles and run a rental business to launder his money.
"He will be charged for selling unapproved drugs while we forensically search through his properties and bank account looking for illegal transactions."